Highly flexible, precise dielectrophoretic, AI image analysis enabled sorting of cells in a microfluidic system

Continuous flow cell sorting based on image analysis is a powerful concept that exploits spatially resolved features in cells for sorting them. However, most of the systems published so far are very complex, offer only limited image quality and/or are limited to a specific imaging modality. We present a low-complex microfluidic microscope add-on that allows any microscope to be turned into an image-activated cell sorter capable of sorting cells by previously inaccessible features in cells. The cells are handled directly, using negative dielectrophoresis (DEP) at a sample volume throughput of ca. 1 μl/min, utilizing low flow velocities around 1 mm/s, enabling fluorescence microscopy-based image acquisition and AI-based sorting, and reducing shear stress on the cells.